Intihuatana

This is a hill whose sides have been arranged into terraces, giving it the shape of a great pyramid with a polygonal base. One can gain access through either of two long stairways, located at the north and south. The latter is particularly interesting given that a substantial section is carved out of a single block of stone.












At the top, surrounded by elite buildings, is the Intihuatana stone, whose name means where the sun is tied. This is a ceremonial place that can be translated as Inti = sun and wata = year. It was a place dedicated to the study of the sun’s movements throughout the year, and where solstices and equinoxes were determined. Numerous studies demonstrate that the intihuatanas were used as reference points to determine the magnetic North. At any rate, it was a ritual place of great religious importance.